Intake-fitting for conveying systems.



A. P. STRUNG.

INTAKE FITTING FOR CONVEYING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29.1917.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

j f/Mig vevzr a Z 7 j Q mm wm MN QN NN @N NN wm m mm L E E \l! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. @TEUR I'. STRONG, or cIIIcAGo, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOa To GREEN ENGINEERING com- PANY, or EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, Av CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

. INTAKE-FITTINGl ron coNvEYrNG SYSTEMS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

Application led January 29, 1917. Serial No. 145,202.

To aZZ whom z't may concer/n:

Be it known that I, ARTIIUR I). STRONG a 1 Citizen of the United states, residing a cfucago, in the county Of Cook and State of Illinois, have vinvented new and useful Improvements in Intake-Fittings for Conveymg Systems, of which-the following is a specification.

This. invention relates to improvements in intake ttings for pneumatic conveymg systems for ashes and like abrasive materials, and more articularly to a device associated with thel Intake fitting and serving to facilitate the introduction of the material into the conduit.

In conveying systems of the character described, the intake openings are ordinarily situated at various positions along a horizontal conduit extending in front of, or in convenient proximity to, the ash discharge of a furnace or furnaces. The intake openings are preferably provided with funnellike fittings, set Hush in the floor, and into which the ashes are shoveled or introduced and thence fall by gravity into the conduit, .the current of air within the conduit immediately picking up or moving the mass of ashes along the conduit to the point of disosal. p In the practical operations of conveyinig systems, difliculty is often experienced in e fecting the removal of the ashes as rapidly .as they are discharged into the conduit, for the reason that the velocity or pressure of the air in the conduit is adequate to displace vbut a limited amount of the material, so that if an excessive amount isdischarged into the conduit through a single intake iitting, there results a partial obstruction'or choking of the passage, the material remaining unmoved on the 4bottom of the conduit for a considerable interval of time, until it is gradually picked up by the air and carried onward. The temporary stoppage `of the conduit manifestly reduces the eiiiciency of the system, inasmuch as the force of the air is expended in forcing its way through the mass and regaining its normal velocity, as well asmoving the mass of material from a state of rest. Furthermore, v

locity at that pomt, and, further, to discharge the ash more centrally of the conduit, thereby permitting the air to ass beneath thematerial, so as to produce a lifting effect, which will carry the material forward as rapidly as it is discharged into the pipe.

The device is hereinafter fully described and lllustrated in the accompanying draw- Ings, .wherein- Figure 1 is a view inlongitudinal section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, through 'a con duit and intake fitting, showing the device in position; and

Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section taken on line 2 2 of'Fig. 1, showing a part of the device in front elevation.

The intake opening or fitting of an ash conveying system is preferably located in a horizontal length o pipe or conduit 10, provided 1n its wall with a circular and upwardly facing intake opening 11. :Above the openlng 11 is mounted an intake fitting or casting 12, comprising a member having upwardly and outwardly diverging wall 13, formlng a circular, funnel-shaped passage terminating at its lower end in an opening adapted to register with the opening 11 of the conduit and preferably formed vby the provision of a cylindric neck portion 14 having its lower margin shaped and beveled to conform with the contour of the conduit, n

is provided an integral marginal ange 16,

rectangular in shape and adapted to be embedded in the door and flush with the surface thereof.

The intake fitting or casting 12 is removably connected to the conduit by means of a U-shaped bolt or yoke 17, which extends or surrounds the conduit and is provided at its ends with screw-threaded extremities, whereby the bolt or yoke is connec'ted to the intake itting,.the latter being provided with oppositely disposed depressions or yrecesses 18, formed in the wall 13 immediately above the neck portion 14, said recesses forming horizontal bottom walls 19, 19 provided with apertures through which the extremities of the .yoke 17 extend. The screw-threaded extremities of the yoke are surmounted by nuts 20, 20, which bear downwardly against4 the upper surface of the Walls 19, 19 and serve to securely hold. the intake fitting in position. v

The registering openings in theconduit and intake fitting are normally closed by a removable closure or plug 21 which rests or'is seated upon a circular seat or shoulder 22 surrounding the opening at the lower end of the intake tting and formed at the upper margins of the neck portion 14. The plug is removed when it isdesired to introduce ashes into the conduit, but at all other times the plugis in closed position, thereby sealing the entrance to the conduit.

Referring now to the construction of the device embodying the invention, the same may be considered as a deflecting member 23, adapted to be inserted in the opening and to form a portion of the passage of the in-U take fitting. The deflecting member 23 comprises a base member 24, consisting of an annular ring-shaped member having a tapered or beveled outer surface, bearing flatwise against the inclined surface of the fitting 12, and a similarly beveled inner surface, the base memberl forming in effect a lining or bushing for the funnel-like passage of the intake fitting. `The opening in the base member is of substantially the same ydiameter as the openings of the'intake titting and conduit, and has registering relation therewith. Thev base member is further provided with a downwardly facing, annular shoulder, adapted to engage and seat upon the annular seat 22 of the intake fitting.

same consisting of an integral curved wall depending from the under surface of the base member and surrounding substantially one-half of the circumference of the opening thereof. In vertical section the deflecting plate 25 is curved downwardly and inwardly from the margins of the opening toward the vertical axis of the base member, through an angle of approximately 90, the lower portion of the plate being substantially horizontal and parallel with the conduit. ln cross section 'the circular in contour, thus con fplate is semi- Integral with the base member 24 is the orming to the naeaeee curvature of the opening. The lower margin of the deflecting plate is substantially straight, though rounded at the corners, and terminates below the intake opening and in the central portion of the conduit, a short distance `below the central axis thereof. Formed in and extending through the defiectm plate are preferably provided a series o parallel and vertically arranged perforations or slots 26, spaced apart laterally throughout the central portion of the plate in the conduit. f

The ash deflecting me ber 23 is preferably of a removable character and designed to be inserted Within the intake opening only at such times when the ashes are to be introduced into the conduit, the plug being removed, as before suggested, and the-delecting member inserted in its place, the.

The purpose of the deflecting member will be understood from the following description of the performance within the conduit when ashes are introduced through the intake opening. Let it ybe assumed that a current of air is passing through the conduit'from left to right, as indicated by the arrow, and the pressure or velocity of the air is sufficient to carry a quantitv of ashes in suspended condition, that is, out of contact with the walls of the conduit. Now, if a quantity of ash Iis introduced into the opening, it'will be carried downwardly vin contact with the deiiecting plate l25, and, by virtue of the curvature of the surface of the deflecting plate, the downward movement of the ash is not only retarded, but is diverted from a 'vertical direction to a more nearly vhorizontal direction parallel to the axis of the conduit and in the direction of movement of the air current. Thus, the ashes uponleaving the deflecting plate have attained a certain initial velocity in a direction parallel with the direction of. How of the air current, thus facilitating the forward movement of the ash under the influence' of the air current. Furthermore, the presence of the `deflecting plate restricts the passage immediatelv below the opening,

and as aresult the velocityy of the air must necessarily be increased at this point, the

greater portion of the' air current being de- `Heated downwardly beneath the deecting plate and likewise beneath the ash as it leaves the deflecting plate. This restriction and deection of the current of air produces, not only an increased air velocity, but also an upward current of air just beyond the deiecting plate, with the result that the tendency of the ashes is to be lifted by the current of air passing beneath the mass. Hence it is obvious that the ash does not fall to the bottom of the conduit, but is carried forward in a horizontal direction and with sufficient force to assure its suspension in the air current.

The function of the slots 26 in the defiecting plate is to permit suiicient air to pass through the plate to afford the necessary initial velocity in a horizontal direction and to assure the continuous downward movement of the material from above, thereby avoiding the possibility of the opening becoming choked by reason of the slow discharge of the ashes from the deflecting plate.

From the foregoing description of the device, it is manifest that the use of such a device in connection with an intake fitting greatly increases the ease and convenience of discharging the ashes into the con, duit and, furthermore, materially increases the eiiiciency of a system, inasmuch as -it avoids the choking of the conduit, the consequent loss of air pressure, as has heretofore been suggested, as well as the wear upon the conduit.

Although a specific construction for a device embodying the invention has been described and illustrated, it is manifest that such construction can be modified, without sacrificing the desirable features. For this reason the scope of the invention includes all such devices embraced by the language of the appended claims.

I claimfas my invention:

y l. In a conveying system, the combination of a conduit, provided with an intake opening and a tapered passage surrounding-said opening, a deflecting member comprislng a base member provided with a beveled sur-` face, permitting said base member to seat in said passage, and a central opening adapted to register with said intake opening, and a deiecting plate depending from said base member.

2. In a conveying system, the combination with a conduit provided with an intake opening, an intake fitting surrounding said opening and provided with a funnel shaped passage, of a deflecting member comprising an annular base member provided With beveled surfaces conforming to the contour of the passage of said intake fitting, and a central opening adapted to register with said intake. opening, and a curvilinear deiecting plate integral with and depending from said base member.

3. In a conveying system, the combination of a conduit provided with an intake opening and a funnel shaped wall surrounding said opening, and a deflecting member adapted to Ibe removably mounted in said opening and comprising an annular base member provided With beveled inner and outer surfaces conforming to the contour of said Wall, said inner beveled surface surrounding a central opening registering with said intake opening, and a curved .deiiecting plate integral with the base member and depending from the under surface thereof.

4. In a conveying system, the combination of a conduit provided with an intake opening, an intake fitting surrounding said opening and provided with a funnel shaped passage. registering with said opening, a closure v for said opening adapted to seat in said passage, and a delecting member comprising an annular base member provided with a central opening and beveled surfaces conforming to the contour of said passage and adapted to seat Within said passage and surround the intake opening when said closure is removed, and an in tegral delecting plate dependlng from sa1d4 base member.

In witness lthat I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aiiiX my signature 1n the presence of two witnesses,

this 30thday of December, A. D. 1916.

ARTHUR I. STRONG. Witnesses:

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN, JAS. M. HARRIET. 

